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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28790121">On the Worship of Old Gods</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/saintmichael/pseuds/saintmichael'>saintmichael</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Supernatural</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Blow Jobs, Hand Jobs, Oil, Other, Pagan God Michael (Supernatural), Smut, adam is just adam really, incorporeal!michael, michael kills a lot of people so ive tagged it for violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 08:15:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,466</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28790121</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/saintmichael/pseuds/saintmichael</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Adam escapes to an old abandoned temple when his village is attacked by raiders. The ancient god that lives there agrees to save his village in exchange for "payment".</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Michael/Adam Milligan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>On the Worship of Old Gods</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The bandits came in the middle of the night. They took everything in the village, smashing and killing whatever got in their way. Adam woke up to his mother’s screams, choking on the smoke that had invaded his nose and throat, and ran and hid behind the banisters, watching as they grabbed his mother roughly and dragged her out of the house against her protests. Then they turned their attention upstairs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam bolted, shakily climbing out his own window and landing with a hard crash in their back garden. There were so many bandits in the streets outside, so much fire and noise and destruction that he knew he had no way of escaping. But inexplicably he ran, as fast as his long legs could go, avoiding the roads and heading into the outskirts of the village.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a temple out there, an abandoned one from times when they worshipped the Old Gods. No one believed in that nonsense now, they hadn’t for generations, but the temple remained intact despite centuries of neglect. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam had often come here to hide in its expansive courtyards when he was younger, when Dean and his friends had been on the prowl for someone to bully. It was almost second nature to come here for safety.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hid in the courtyards at first, but soon heard the heavy footsteps and laughter of the bandits approaching. The village kids had never followed him this far out here. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had never entered the temple proper - it always seemed, strangely, he was crossing a boundary he had not been invited through - but he had no </span>
  <em>
    <span>choice</span>
  </em>
  <span>, they were going to find him and kill him and then he’d never save his mom. He quietly jogged up the marble stairs and entered the main chamber of the temple.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was breathtakingly beautiful. A large domed space of ornate marble and gold, plant life neatly growing in rings of plant beds and climbing up the walls to the top of the dome, where a ring of open roof let through moonlight pouring down on the altar in the middle of the room. Adam approached the altar in wonder, his panic and terror now overwhelmed by shock and awe. He laid his hands on the altar and stared up at the light.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Wasn’t it overcast tonight?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh</span>
  </em>
  <span>? </span>
  <b>A </b>
  <b>
    <em>gift </em>
  </b>
  <b>has been </b>
  <em>
    <span>left </span>
  </em>
  <b>on my </b>
  <b>
    <em>altar</em>
  </b>
  <span>,” a voice whispered into his ear, and someone’s hands curiously grabbed at his sides. Adam jumped in alarm and span around, fists ready to fend off his assailant, but the chamber was devoid of anyone but himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was an unsettling chuckling in his ears, and Adam still couldn’t see anyone but he ran, heading deeper into the temple, hoping to find somewhere he could hide -</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There were plenty of tiny rooms as he ran through the corridors but their doors all slammed shut as he approached each one. Had this been the bandits’ trap all along? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He finally spotted an open doorway that didn’t close on him but it did slam </span>
  <em>
    <span>behind </span>
  </em>
  <span>him as he sped through it and collapsed on the carpeted floor inside. There were cushions in the small room, and a tiny altar that was at kneeling height. Adam turned to face the door and crawled backwards towards it, his elbow crashing into the wooden altar quite hard. “Sorry,” he mumbled, he guessed to the altar itself or maybe the old god of the temple.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>
    <em>You </em>
  </b>
  <b>are </b>
  <em>
    <span>forgiven</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” the voice from earlier whispered. Adam sat up in alarm but hands were pushing him back down, hands he couldn’t see but were too strong to resist as they lay his head upon the altar. He twisted around, trying to view his assailants, but the room was empty and the invisible hands forced his head to face straight up. There was a hole in the ceiling of this room too, the light pouring down even brighter than in the main chamber.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What…” he said, unable to think of a coherent question to form. The light was radiant and hypnotising; Adam wanted to get lost in its warm embrace.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Who </span>
  </em>
  <b>do you </b>
  <b>
    <em>run </em>
  </b>
  <b>from? </b>
  <b>
    <em>Not </em>
  </b>
  <b>ME</b>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bandits. In the village.” Adam was thinking maybe it was an old priest that still maintained the temple or something - seriously, it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>pristine </span>
  </em>
  <span>- but as the voice continued to grind his bones into dust, that was becoming more and more a ridiculous notion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The voice was coming from the light. From the god.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>A swarm of </b>
  <b>
    <em>pests </em>
  </b>
  <b>crawl over my palace walls now,</b>
  <span>” the voice informed him. “</span>
  <b>It is </b>
  <em>
    <span>they</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Adam said. Warm hands were touching and feeling him all over his body, rubbing his skin with interest. It was strangely intrusive and yet Adam had to resist getting a boner. “Can - can you help?” Adam didn’t know if you were allowed to just ask the Old Gods to help you but at this point it somehow seemed like his best shot.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>My </b>
  <b>
    <em>gift </em>
  </b>
  <b>will be safe in </b>
  <b>
    <em>my </em>
  </b>
  <b>temple</b>
  <span>,” the god informed him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not your gift,” Adam said, and this was immediately received with chuckling. “They’re destroying the whole village. Please - they’ve got my mom.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>Very well</b>
  <span>,” the voice agreed. “</span>
  <b>It’s been a </b>
  <em>
    <span>long </span>
  </em>
  <b>time since I’ve crushed some </b>
  <b>
    <em>ants. </em>
  </b>
  <b>I will </b>
  <b>
    <em>indulge </em>
  </b>
  <b>myself</b>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh. Adam went light-headed with relief; fortunately it was already snugly on the altar. “</span>
  <b>
    <em>You </em>
  </b>
  <b>will repay me</b>
  <span>,” the god added.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The god’s invisible fingers stroked Adam’s sensitive areas. Adam blushed at the sensation. “Oh.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Those places went cold as the hands seemed to focus on his limbs instead. Adam blinked up into the light, wondering if it would be rude to try and prompt the god into more immediate action.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His face was gripped firmly and once more positioned by the god, one warm finger carefully pulling his lip down until he obediently lay with his mouth agape.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The streams of light focused then, into one solid beam that was aimed squarely at Adam’s waiting mouth. It -</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Was </span>
  <em>
    <span>hot </span>
  </em>
  <span>at first, magma pouring down his throat that burned him from the inside out, he gasped and then ice water flowed through his veins, and he was scorching and freezing all at once -</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Michael </span>
  </em>
  <b>immediately </b>
  <b>
    <em>dulled </em>
  </b>
  <b>the BOY’S senses. It </b>
  <b>
    <em>had been </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>so </span>
  </em>
  <b>long since a </b>
  <b>
    <em>human </em>
  </b>
  <b>had presented themselves to HIM so </b>
  <b>
    <em>openly</em>
  </b>
  <b>. HE would </b>
  <b>
    <em>not allow </em>
  </b>
  <b>harm to come to </b>
  <b>
    <em>him.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <span>The </span>
  <b>pests</b>
  <span>, the </span>
  <b>
    <em>bandits </em>
  </b>
  <b>swarmed outside the temple, </b>
  <em>
    <span>unable </span>
  </em>
  <b>to enter the building without </b>
  <b>
    <em>Michael’s </em>
  </b>
  <b>permission.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Michael </b>
  <em>
    <span>left </span>
  </em>
  <b>the room of </b>
  <b>
    <em>worship</em>
  </b>
  <b> and strode to where his </b>
  <b>
    <em>priests </em>
  </b>
  <b>stored his </b>
  <em>
    <span>weapons. </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>ADAM’s </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>bones </span>
  </em>
  <b>crunched under his</b>
  <b>
    <em> eminent gait</em>
  </b>
  <b>; Michael </b>
  <b>
    <em>reluctantly </em>
  </b>
  <b>stepped </b>
  <span>lightly </span>
  <b>to avoid </b>
  <em>
    <span>breaking </span>
  </em>
  <b>the brittle human.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Knives, </b>
  <em>
    <span>swords, </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>spears, </em>
  </b>
  <b>axes, </b>
  <b>
    <em>claws. </em>
  </b>
  <b>Michael </b>
  <b>
    <em>paused </em>
  </b>
  <b>on them with amusement. Messy, but in the </b>
  <b>
    <em>temple </em>
  </b>
  <b>that would not </b>
  <em>
    <span>be </span>
  </em>
  <b>a problem. He equipped the </b>
  <b>
    <em>ten-inch-long </em>
  </b>
  <b>claws with a </b>
  <em>
    <span>deranged </span>
  </em>
  <b>smile.</b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Killing… hands?</span>
  </em>
  <b> ADAM’S muted voice said faintly. </b>
  <em>
    <span>One by one?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>Perhaps </b>
  <b>
    <em>not </em>
  </b>
  <b>one-by-one. But </b>
  <b>
    <em>Michael </em>
  </b>
  <b>would take time to </b>
  <b>
    <em>enjoy </em>
  </b>
  <b>this slaughter.  He took </b>
  <b>
    <em>a lance </em>
  </b>
  <b>and </b>
  <b>
    <em>a glaive </em>
  </b>
  <b>for later use as well.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>He let the </b>
  <b>
    <em>pests </em>
  </b>
  <b>crawl into </b>
  <b>
    <em>his temple</em>
  </b>
  <b>. </b>
  <em>
    <span>Were </span>
  </em>
  <b>they bandits? They had the numbers </b>
  <b>
    <em>and </em>
  </b>
  <b>organisation of </b>
  <b>
    <em>soldiers</em>
  </b>
  <b>. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Dozens </em>
  </b>
  <b>poured in. Were </b>
  <b>
    <em>all </em>
  </b>
  <b>these people hunting for the BOY? </b>
  <b>
    <em>Perhaps </em>
  </b>
  <b>Michael’s new vessel was a </b>
  <b>
    <em>prince</em>
  </b>
  <b>.</b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Not a prince, </span>
  </em>
  <b>Adam said </b>
  <b>
    <em>weakly. </em>
  </b>
  <b>Hmm. Michael softened the edges of </b>
  <b>
    <em>his </em>
  </b>
  <b>mind further, </b>
  <b>
    <em>draping </em>
  </b>
  <b>him in the comforting embrace of his </b>
  <b>
    <em>divinity.</em>
  </b>
</p><p><b>Michael reentered his decadent halls and </b><b><em>serenely </em></b><b>walked straight </b><em><span>into </span></em><b>the path of searching soldiers. They </b><b><em>surrounded </em></b><b>HIM</b><span>. </span><em><span>How </span></em><b>convenient. Michael reached his </b><b><em>claws </em></b><b>out at the soldiers in </b><em><span>front </span></em><b>and easily tore through their weapons that they used </b><em><span>to </span></em><b>parry. Those flanking </b><b><em>him </em></b><b>behind and on his sides </b><em><span>tried </span></em><b>closing in but Michael extended his </b><b><em>extra limbs and </em></b><b>lashed them out at the </b><span>pests, </span><b>the blades on his holy wings piercing through several </b><b><em>hearts </em></b><b>in </b><em><span>one thrust</span></em> <b><em>each</em></b><span>.</span></p><p>
  <b>Michael smiled and approached the men in front as </b>
  <b>
    <em>they </em>
  </b>
  <b>backed </b>
  <b>
    <em>away </em>
  </b>
  <b>from </b>
  <b>
    <em>HIM</em>
  </b>
  <b>. “Is </b>
  <b>
    <em>this </em>
  </b>
  <b>your first time witnessing the </b>
  <b>
    <em>Divine</em>
  </b>
  <b>?” he hissed in amusement, his </b>
  <b>
    <em>tail </em>
  </b>
  <b>emerging from behind to hook through their </b>
  <b>
    <em>skulls </em>
  </b>
  <b>and rip their </b>
  <em>
    <span>little </span>
  </em>
  <b>brains in </b>
  <b>
    <em>half.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>The rest of the </b>
  <b>
    <em>ants </em>
  </b>
  <b>were fleeing in a panic but Michael </b>
  <b>
    <em>would not </em>
  </b>
  <b>be </b>
  <b>
    <em>robbed </em>
  </b>
  <b>of his fun. He sealed all of his temple doors </b>
  <b>
    <em>at once. </em>
  </b>
  <b>They </b>
  <em>
    <span>would not </span>
  </em>
  <b>escape HIM.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Michael carved </b>
  <b>
    <em>through </em>
  </b>
  <b>the mortals littering the halls of his </b>
  <em>
    <span>sacred </span>
  </em>
  <b>temple with GLEE. As blood </b>
  <b>
    <em>splattered </em>
  </b>
  <b>on the marble walls and floors </b>
  <span>and </span>
  <em>
    <span>terrified </span>
  </em>
  <b>screams </b>
  <b>
    <em>rebounded </em>
  </b>
  <b>through the halls, </b>
  <span>the </span>
  <em>
    <span>arcane structure </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>drank them </em>
  </b>
  <b>and delivered them into his divine body </b>
  <b>
    <em>waiting </em>
  </b>
  <b>beyond the </b>
  <em>
    <span>veil. </span>
  </em>
  <b>When he </b>
  <b>
    <em>finished</em>
  </b>
  <b>, he viewed the </b>
  <em>
    <span>bodies </span>
  </em>
  <b>covering the floor with </b>
  <b>
    <em>satisfaction. </em>
  </b>
  <b>He would slowly </b>
  <b>
    <em>devour </em>
  </b>
  <b>them through the </b>
  <b>
    <em>temple </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>as well.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>He stood </b>
  <em>
    <span>his vessel </span>
  </em>
  <b>in his Sanctuary. The </b>
  <em>
    <span>blood </span>
  </em>
  <b>now </b>
  <b>
    <em>covering </em>
  </b>
  <b>the BOY’S skin and </b>
  <em>
    <span>clothes </span>
  </em>
  <b>was </b>
  <b>
    <em>steadily </em>
  </b>
  <b>consumed by his own </b>
  <b>
    <em>light. </em>
  </b>
  <b>He </b>
  <em>
    <span>left </span>
  </em>
  <b>the claws on the </b>
  <b>
    <em>altar; </em>
  </b>
  <b>he must keep his vessel </b>
  <b>
    <em>clean </em>
  </b>
  <b>outside of the </b>
  <em>
    <span>temple</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Outside </span>
  </em>
  <b>the </b>
  <b>
    <em>temple</em>
  </b>
  <b>, there were a great deal </b>
  <b>
    <em>more </em>
  </b>
  <b>soldiers, although they </b>
  <b>
    <em>had </em>
  </b>
  <b>cleared the area of the </b>
  <b>
    <em>temple </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>in caution. </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>They </em>
  </b>
  <b>were all over the valley that the </b>
  <b>
    <em>village </em>
  </b>
  <b>was situated in, </b>
  <b>
    <em>fortifying </em>
  </b>
  <b>the area.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>They </b>
  <b>
    <em>could not fortify it against Michael.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <b>With </b>
  <em>
    <span>the elements </span>
  </em>
  <b>at his command Michael </b>
  <b>
    <em>ravaged </em>
  </b>
  <b>the invading troops with </b>
  <b>
    <em>thunderous </em>
  </b>
  <b>hurricanes and </b>
  <b>
    <em>storms of fire. </em>
  </b>
  <b>Those that witnessed the calmly proceeding God and attempted to </b>
  <b>
    <em>charge </em>
  </b>
  <b>at him were swiftly </b>
  <em>
    <span>impaled </span>
  </em>
  <b>on his </b>
  <b>
    <em>lance </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>long </span>
  </em>
  <b>before they could dirty </b>
  <em>
    <span>his vessel.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>The soldiers </b>
  <b>
    <em>cravenly </em>
  </b>
  <b>barricaded themselves in the </b>
  <b>
    <em>village</em>
  </b>
  <b>, which Michael had </b>
  <b>
    <em>kindly </em>
  </b>
  <b>refrained from assaulting with </b>
  <b>
    <em>Nature</em>
  </b>
  <b>.  </b>
  <em>
    <span>He </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>entered </em>
  </b>
  <b>and sealed the village off from </b>
  <b>
    <em>the rest of the world. </em>
  </b>
  <b>He would play to </b>
  <b>
    <em>their </em>
  </b>
  <b>rules.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>The </b>
  <b>
    <em>cowards </em>
  </b>
  <b>hid in the villagers’ houses, </b>
  <b>
    <em>holding </em>
  </b>
  <b>knives </b>
  <b>
    <em>to their throats</em>
  </b>
  <b>, but Michael had </b>
  <em>
    <span>little </span>
  </em>
  <span>care.  </span>
  <b>He </b>
  <em>
    <span>snapped </span>
  </em>
  <b>their necks without </b>
  <b>
    <em>regard </em>
  </b>
  <b>to the tiny blades that </b>
  <b>
    <em>clattered </em>
  </b>
  <b>to the ground.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>They were </b>
  <b>
    <em>loading </em>
  </b>
  <b>women </b>
  <b>
    <em>and </em>
  </b>
  <b>children into large carts at one end of town like </b>
  <b>
    <em>livestock. </em>
  </b>
  <b>Adam’s most </b>
  <b>
    <em>important </em>
  </b>
  <b>person, his </b>
  <b>
    <em>mother</em>
  </b>
  <b>, was in one, so Michael with his divinity now standing head and shoulders above the roofs of houses picked it </b>
  <b>
    <em>up </em>
  </b>
  <b>with an extended hand and </b>
  <b>
    <em>plucked </em>
  </b>
  <b>the couple of soldiers at its helm, </b>
  <b>
    <em>crushing </em>
  </b>
  <b>them in his </b>
  <b>
    <em>holy fist</em>
  </b>
  <b>, and kept </b>
  <em>
    <span>the cart </span>
  </em>
  <b>safe above the chaos.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Still </em>
  </b>
  <b>they ran from him. Exasperated with the </b>
  <b>
    <em>defiance, </em>
  </b>
  <b>Michael vanished the </b>
  <b>
    <em>air from their lungs</em>
  </b>
  <b> and let them suffocate on the ground in agony.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Once he was </b>
  <b>
    <em>content </em>
  </b>
  <b>that the invasion had been </b>
  <b>
    <em>extinguished</em>
  </b>
  <b>, as per his </b>
  <em>
    <span>deal with </span>
  </em>
  <b>ADAM</b>
  <span>, </span>
  <b>Michael set the </b>
  <b>
    <em>cart </em>
  </b>
  <b>down and released the </b>
  <b>
    <em>prisoners </em>
  </b>
  <b>trapped inside. Adam’s </b>
  <b>
    <em>mother </em>
  </b>
  <b>came out, her attention first </b>
  <b>
    <em>taken </em>
  </b>
  <b>by Michael’s divinity stretching sky-high, before her </b>
  <b>
    <em>gaze </em>
  </b>
  <b>followed his extended limbs down and she </b>
  <b>
    <em>recognised </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>her son’s face </span>
  </em>
  <b>with a jump.</b>
</p><p>
  <span>“Adam?” </span>
  <em>
    <span>she </span>
  </em>
  <b>asked, her </b>
  <b>
    <em>mortal voice </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>quivering </span>
  </em>
  <b>with </b>
  <b>
    <em>worry </em>
  </b>
  <b>and </b>
  <b>
    <em>bewilderment.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>No,</b>
  <span>” </span>
  <b>Michael said, and </b>
  <b>
    <em>strode </em>
  </b>
  <b>off, to return to his </b>
  <b>
    <em>temple</em>
  </b>
  <b>, to where </b>
  <b>
    <em>his body </em>
  </b>
  <b>sat behind the </b>
  <em>
    <span>veil. </span>
  </em>
  <b>None </b>
  <b>
    <em>dared </em>
  </b>
  <b>follow him; at least the </b>
  <em>
    <span>villagers </span>
  </em>
  <b>had some </b>
  <b>
    <em>modicum </em>
  </b>
  <b>of </b>
  <b>
    <em>respect, </em>
  </b>
  <b>even if they’d been </b>
  <b>
    <em>neglecting </em>
  </b>
  <b>his temple as of late.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Michael </b>
  <b>
    <em>returned </em>
  </b>
  <b>to his private worship room and </b>
  <b>
    <em>lay </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>his vessel’s </span>
  </em>
  <b>head upon the special </b>
  <b>
    <em>altar. </em>
  </b>
  <b>He took </b>
  <b>
    <em>care </em>
  </b>
  <b>to ease his passage </b>
  <b>
    <em>out </em>
  </b>
  <b>of the vessel </b>
  <b>
    <em>as he </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>guided </span>
  </em>
  <b>himself </b>
  <em>
    <span>back </span>
  </em>
  <b>into the light.</b>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam gasped for air as the ancient god evacuated his body, a drowning man desperately surfacing out of the water. His body was shaking uncontrollably now that it was out of Michael’s firm grip; his organs and bones had melted under the impossibly hot fire of Michael’s essence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And yet he was filled with a euphoria that made him feel like he was soaring over the world.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Michael,” he coughed, his body desperately squeezing in on itself. He was </span>
  <em>
    <span>numb </span>
  </em>
  <span>without the god inside of him. What was anything compared to infinity?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>An invisible hand clasped over his mouth, silencing him. Adam somehow </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew </span>
  </em>
  <span>it was an attempt to calm him, because Michael didn’t exactly know how humans worked. The hands that gently held his sides, stilling his body, were a more effective effort.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>You</span>
  </em>
  <b> are an </b>
  <b>
    <em>excellent </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>vessel</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Michael praised, his whispers sending shivers down Adam’s spine. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Rest.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Hard to rest while images of burning, blood, and corpses filled Adam’s mind. Everything had been strangely muffled while Michael had possessed him, but Adam had seen and heard enough of the carnage to feel ill.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt Michael’s ghostly fingers tenderly pulling his eyelids down. He obligingly closed his eyes, but the eyelids hardly filtered the light that was streaming directly into his face. It was good, though. He concentrated on it to try and forget the blood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t realise he fell asleep, but he suddenly became aware that Michael’s hands were once more running up and down over his body, and he had shifted to sleep on his side, at some point. He rolled his head back to stare at the light pouring down from the hole in the ceiling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>Adam</b>
  <span>,” Michael greeted. His touchings altered their pathways, became more seductive. “</span>
  <b>Will you </b>
  <b>
    <em>repay </em>
  </b>
  <b>me now?”</b>
</p><p>
  <span>“I -” Adam blushed at the sensations. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>desperately </span>
  </em>
  <span>wanted to “repay” him, but. “I have to check everyone’s alright. I’ll come back,” he rushed to assure the god. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>I know</b>
  <span>,” the god said, not sounding at all worried. Well. He probably literally knew Adam inside and out at this point. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam tried to stand up, but it was difficult having his own body at his command again. But the old god was at his assistance, careful hands supporting his body unseen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>
    <em>Brittle</em>
  </b>
  <span>,” Michael commented dejectedly as Adam gingerly made his way through the halls of the temple.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can possess a golem or something if I’m not good enough,” Adam retorted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>A golem?” </b>
  <span>Michael’s voice was quieter in the halls where his light wasn’t present, but the echoes resounded quite a bit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know. Those creatures made of clay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>Do they have </b>
  <b>
    <em>souls?</em>
  </b>
  <span>” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, I don’t think so.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>Then it wouldn’t work.</b>
  <span>” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam snorted. He probably shouldn’t be acting so casually with someone who could slaughter an entire army without breaking a sweat, but, what else was he gonna do?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam jogged home. The morning sun was just beginning to rise and illuminated the efforts of the villagers to repair their town. As Adam passed by people on the road they backed away in fear but there was no need. He wasn’t Michael. Just Adam.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He found Mom helping with people’s injuries at the town hall. She looked up at him and smiled hopefully. “Adam?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Mom,” he said. Her face creased into a much larger smile and tears formed in the corner of her eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There you are - I’ve been so worried.” She was beaming, but her patients were much more nervous to see Adam, like everyone else.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry. I ran to the old temple. I was scared.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded. “I know. Aren’t I always telling you not to go there?” Her voice was wry, not scolding. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry,” Adam said, anyway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, the creature possessing you,” she hesitated, unsure of how to form her question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not a demon. It’s the Old God that lives in the temple,” Adam explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Old God?” Mom said. Someone came up to her for assistance, but she shooed them on to another helper, and beckoned Adam closer. “Adam, the Old Gods are gone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This one isn’t. The others might not be either. He’s just sitting there waiting. A couple of centuries is nothing to him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But someone would have found him by now. The temple is just outside of town.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have you been?” Adam asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just in the courtyards - we used to play tag there -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam frowned. “You can’t go into the actual building unless he allows it. Maybe that’s why.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And he let you in?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam remembered Michael’s first words to him. A gift upon his altar, he had said teasingly. Adam ducked his head as a blush spread across his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess he saw I was in trouble and decided to help,” he muttered. That could be true, maybe, even if it wasn’t.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mom raised an eyebrow. “Uh, is there anything I can help with?” he said before she could comment, looking around at the injured people. Mom immediately snapped into work mode and started issuing tasks for him to carry out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam returned to the temple later in the day, when things had stabilised in the village. The sun shined prettily over the courtyard, but inside the temple the light from the ceiling was still the same cool blue. The ceiling opened up not the sky above, but to another realm, Adam now understood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The temple was as clean and pure as it had been when Adam first entered it, as if a bloodbath hadn’t happened here. Because Michael… consumed it, didn’t he?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stepped into the light in the large chamber, fingers resting on the edge of the altar. “I’m back,” he announced, looking straight up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael chuckled. “</span>
  <b>I can </b>
  <b>
    <em>see </em>
  </b>
  <b>that.” </b>
</p><p>
  <span>“And your, um, repayment?” he said hopefully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>
    <em>Not </em>
  </b>
  <b>here. Come to the room of worship</b>
  <span>.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam, looking at the huge altar he was standing in front of, wondered how </span>
  <em>
    <span>this </span>
  </em>
  <span>was not the room of worship, but Michael’s hands were gently guiding him after a few seconds of pause. He led him into the room in the back he had spent so much time lying down in. Adam kneeled in front of the altar, trying to look respectful.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>Adam</b>
  <span>,” Michael said, sounding exasperated for the first time. “</span>
  <b>Lie </b>
  <b>
    <em>down</em>
  </b>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span> Right. Adam lay his head on the altar and his body eased down onto the cushions. “You’re going to possess me again?” he asked, thoroughly confused at this point.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>This is a room of </b>
  <b>
    <em>worship</em>
  </b>
  <b>, not </b>
  <b>
    <em>possession.</em>
  </b>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael’s ghostly hands were trailing down his cheeks, his neck, his arms, his sides, his thighs… and stopped. “</span>
  <b>Your </b>
  <em>
    <span>clothes </span>
  </em>
  <b>are sealing you in too tightly</b>
  <span>,” Michael announced with disdain. “</span>
  <b>
    <em>Remove </em>
  </b>
  <b>them</b>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam unbuckled and unzipped his clothes with difficulty, his hands trembling with a curious excitement. He lay his naked body back down, awkwardly presenting himself to the light. “Um, here I am. Ta-da.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>You </b>
  <b>
    <em>prepared </em>
  </b>
  <b>yourself</b>
  <span>,” Michael said, voice tinged with disappointment. Adam’s hips jerked up in surprise as an invisible hand stroked the head of his half-erect cock with interest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I -” he flushed. “I really didn’t. That’s from just now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>I see</b>
  <span>.” The god sounded appeased, and the rest of his hands continued their ministrations on the rest of Adam’s body, rubbing gentle circles on his skin. It was quite weird, getting massages by a formless god -</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then there was </span>
  <em>
    <span>oil </span>
  </em>
  <span>pouring down his skin, over his shoulders, chest, legs, everywhere. Michael rubbed it into his nipples and Adam automatically squeezed his legs shut at the overwhelming sensation, but they were soon pried open by the god so he could stroke Adam’s inner thighs, which was somehow even worse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then there were warm lips on his, brushing gently against his mouth. Adam parted his lips eagerly but Michael was already moving behind his ears, down his neck, across his belly and then he kissed his way up Adam’s leaking hard cock. Adam gasped - this was too much - but he had no time to protest before his dick was enveloped in an unseeable, unknowable, </span>
  <em>
    <span>wet </span>
  </em>
  <span>warmth that sucked him down. “Mmm - Mmichael,” he panted, his hands scrabbling for purchase on the carpet but Michael grabbed those too and coated yet more oil on his palms and in-between his fingertips. He was completely at Michael’s mercy as the god molested every inch of his skin and lavished his attentions on Adam’s cock and he couldn’t handle it. He was coming, coming into the air, crying out with joy and he felt like he was losing his mind as his come vanished in thin air but his head was filled with such a euphoric bliss that it didn’t matter - </span>
  <em>
    <span>couldn’t </span>
  </em>
  <span>matter -</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was vaguely aware, now, of Michael’s wet, warm mouth - or tongue - moving across his body, licking and sucking at the warm, sweat drenched oil that he had been basted in. He was consuming it, he had consumed Adam’s come and Adam laughed at the realisation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re eating me,” he said in disbelief.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>Mmm</b>
  <span>,” Michael agreed. “</span>
  <b>I only eat my </b>
  <b>
    <em>enemies </em>
  </b>
  <b>whole. For my devotees, </b>
  <em>
    <span>just </span>
  </em>
  <b>a taste is </b>
  <b>
    <em>enough</em>
  </b>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not your devotee,” Adam said boldly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>
    <em>Oh?</em>
  </b>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adam came back the next day, confidently coming to stand within Michael’s warm embrace of light.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>
    <em>Adam</em>
  </b>
  <span>,” Michael greeted him, intrigued. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” Adam said, trying to sound casual. “So, um, I was wondering if you would accept payments for favours in advance?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Michael’s laughter echoed through the entire temple.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
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